Batman & Spiderman: Secrets & More……..

I am a man of action. I love the power unleashed by DC Comics and Marvel Comics. I love all the gadgetry, the car chases and even the increasing ingenuity of the villains that come with the thrills of watching an action movie. However it is the superheroes segment of the action movie business that I like the most. Like many of the movie buffs, I have been out shopping for the latest Spiderman series starring Toby McGuire and the Batman series starring Christian Bale.

I have to confess that I have been to various places starting from flea markets to the many shopping malls in search of the DVDs which can provide me the complete series of these superheroes. However my efforts have come to a zilch. Another reason being there aren’t too many legally selling superhero combo movies in a three or five dvd set. Let’s face it. What’s real should stay real. I just hate Piracy!

Hence it was with great interest that I finally got to watch BATMAN: The Dark Knight courtesy HBO who were the first to premiere it on television a few weeks ago. A fantabulous movie for all its action sequences, pyrotechnics, stills, drama and the concept, it also set me thinking. A thought that appeared has materialized into this write-up.

Somehow my mind started making comparisons of the Bat with another of my favorites Spiderman. The more we thought these super heroes were different, the more they appear as long lost brothers or as the saying goes brothers in arms. The following comparisons may seemingly be different in nature at the beginning but by the very end, you will be convinced that Batman and Spiderman are two sides of the same coin!

Batmans parents were killed by a mugger named Joe Chill when he was just 6 years old and was raised by their loyal and trustworthy butler Alfred.  A young Batman swore revenge on the enemies plaguing Gotham city and sought to protect it from crime.

The Spidey did not have much knowledge of his parents who are supposed to have died in a plane crash. He was raised by his Aunt May & Uncle Ben ever since. However the accidental death of Uncle Ben at the hands of a burglar turned Peter Parker from a shy, emaciated boy into the Spiderman who fights crime in New York city.

Both Batman and Spidey did not have friends and felt lonely most of the time. I guess that stands true for any true superhero.

The Bat was a millionaire living in a city that had much of Bruce Wayne – The industrialist, playboy, only heir to the Wayne family and last but not the least being Batman to thank for. Thus deemed to be far superior and wealthier than any of Gotham city, the Bat mainly found himself alone with an on and off relationship with Rachel Dawes, his childhood friend.

On the other hand, Spidey and his family lived a hand to mouth existence with Peter Parker doing odd-jobs and landing a temp job as a reporter with the Daily Bugle (Well Superman was a reporter too in his alter-avatar!!!). He loves Mary Jane, supposedly a neighbour for 20 years but is afraid to tell her and also since she has had more success than he has (so he thinks) leading to an on and off relationship as in the first case.

How much truth does the phrase “Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown” hold

Both have had the ignominy of turning friends into enemies:

Batman’s friend in Dark Knight – Harvey Dent turns into “Harry Two-Face” hell bent on revenge for thinking that the Gotham city police and Batman were responsible for the killing of his girlfriend.

Spiderman’s best friend Harry, son of wealthy industrialist Norman Osborn turns against him when he comes to know that Spiderman was responsible for his Fathers death.

The enemies too sound pretty similar –

Catwoman and Scarecrow for the Batman and Lizard and Chamelon for the Spider

Clayface and Sandman – Both beings one a treasure hunter and the other a petty thief, converted into villains by willingly or unwillingly becoming a part of an experiment they were unaware of

Dr. Freeze and Dr. Octopus – Both scientists whose lives changed after failed experiments

Both wear capes so as to not reveal their real identities in public

The creators of Batman were Bob Kane & Bill Finger (B & B) whereas Spiderman was created by Stan Lee & Steve Ditko (S & S)

For the movie buffs, it may seem as an amazing coincidence that the characters of Rachel Dawes enacted by Maggie Gyllenhaal and Mary Jane enacted by Kirsten Dunst look fairly similar in appearance.

I guess my super powers of drawing conclusions on two of my favourite superhero characters is closing in. What’s your say?

Readers are welcome to add to the list and to comment on this write-up.

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Thanks

Mani S (A.k.a Ananth. S)

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Image Source: DC Comics & Marvel Comics